411 Question of the Week

What was the biggest strategic draft mistake you made last year with one
of your teams that you vow to not make again in 2010?

I was too quick to abandon my Tout Wars draft plan and budget when I
started seeing some top-shelf players go for what I felt was a discounted
price. I ended up taking Albert Pujols and Ryan Braun at what I felt were
discounts, but still at prices that didn’t fit my original budget, and that
caused a ripple effect that ultimately resulted in a stars-and-scrubs roster.
Both players earned their money but I wasn’t prepared to build around them, so
next year I’ll make sure to stick more closely to my original plan, even if it
means not doing as much price enforcing.

-Cory

Drafting too many
injured pitchers: I outsmarted myself in AL Tout this year on draft day by
getting Ervin Santana, John Smoltz and Dustin McGowan. The total cost was only
$17 for the three ($11, $6 and RES) and I was able to trade Smoltz before he
pitched an inning for me for Saltalamacchia (bust for both sides). But I went
to the well on this once or twice too many and it hurt my flexibility on draft
day. That $11 or $6 towards a better bat may have made the difference between
2nd and 1st. We’ll never know.

-Siano

I was simply too conservative in my NL-Only auction bidding which
resulted in a team comprised of several great value picks but lacked star
players. When my lone legitimate star, Carlos Beltran, went down due to injury
my hopes of winning a title were crushed. It turned out that I did an
outstanding job in pitchers, drafting Wandy Rodriguez ($8), Ted Lilly ($13),
John Lannan ($2) and second half stud Bronson Arroyo ($4) for a combined $27. I
surely could have used the money I saved there to snag at least one additional
big bat. Left with a sub-par offense highlighted by Brad Hawpe, Adam LaRoche,
Rafael Furcal, Chase Headley and Kosuke Fukudome, I finished middle of the
pack. Next year will be different.

-Zach

***We want to hear from you. What were your biggest draft day blunders?

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Being in an annual 12 Team Mixed 5×5 with 20 man starting rosters (10 Bats; 10 Arms) and 10 reserves makes the 30 rounds quite interesting for the right mix of current MLB talent and gambles of farm callups. While I took the faithful Bats over Arms approach in 2009 Draft; I feel I waited a round or two too long. My first Arm wasnt selected until Rd 9 (Javier Vazquez)…my first closer wasnt until rds 10 & 11. What I realize now, is 8 straight bats may sound like you should dominate hitting, however, the quess work and strategy in round 7 or 8 for my 1st Closer or a tiered arm better than JV could have been beneficial. Injuries bit me quick losing Jose Reyes, Carlos Quentin, and Lance Berkman to significant time early and often. I was fortunate to use some of my “potential” as trade bait and ended up acquiring better arms and not taking significant hits in bats (luckily FA signing of Juan Pierre helped too). In 2010 I will look to tweak the strategy ~ still plan on 5 Bats ~ but may grab an arm (Closer over SP most likely) in rd 6 then SP in 8 and go back to bat in 9….in our league the key is using 10 reserve rounds to grab Minor League talent that carries some trade bait. Injuries are the KEY UNKNOWN every year. Finishing 3rd and in the $$$ was nice…but 1st is the goal. I will refine and get stronger.

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